Photos: 25 animals that inspired Canada in 2012

Darren Calabrese, National Post12.11.2012

Darwin, the rhesus macaque, was one of many animals that inspired us in 2012.

Darren Calabrese
/ National Post

25 | CLOVER THE KERMODE BEAR
18-month-old Clover, with his rare creamy white fur, was found orphaned in northern British Columbia. The bear was captured, rehabilitated and released by a northern B.C. group, then was trapped again just months later when it continued to hang around humans. Since it apparently wanted to be with people, the bear was sent to a wildlife park, becoming what's believed to be the first kermode bear in captivity.Joseph Blake
/ CNS files

24 | CARGO THE POLICE DOG
Over his six-year career, Cargo guarded the Prime Minister, sniffed for explosives, patrolled major world summits and was hailed as a hero when he tracked down an elderly woman with Alzheimer's. But with less than a month before his retirement to the home of a loving family, the Chilliwack-based RCMP Police Service Dog died after a run with his longtime handler, Const. Michael Jordan.submitted
/ for the TIMES

23 | BEN THE CHIHUAHUA
After a fire broke out in his elderly owner's home and barking didn't do the trick, Ben did what he had to do -- he bit his owner -- to wake him from a deep sleep so the dog, the man and his wife could escape the house safely.Tyler Olsen
/ TIMES

22 | TIMBIT THE KITTEN
Plumber David Radey was able to rescue the three-month-old Timbit, who was stuck deep in a furnace vent, using his sewer camera to pinpoint her location.Kim Stallknecht
/ PNG

21 | COMOX VALLEY'S CITRINE WAGTAIL
The Citrine Wagtail, a native of north Asia, was spotted in the Comox Valley in 2012. It was the first confirmed sighting of the bird in Canada.Handout
/ timescolonist.com

20 | GREEN THE GENTOO PENGUIN
Green, the oldest penguin in North America, turned a stunning 33 years old on May 2. Gentoos normally live 15 to 20 years. The Gentoo and her partner, Blue, celebrated her birthday at the Biodome in Montreal with a three-layer fish cake and some vitamin-laced appetizers. Just like all of us here in the newsroom.Video Image
/ Handout

19 | THE MONEY MOOSE
For years, Canadians have mistaken the caribou on their quarters for a moose. But the Royal Canadian Mint finally made it up to the moose in 2012, releasing a silver bullion coin with a moose on it.Handout Photo
/ .

18 | FAKE TODDLER-SNATCHING EAGLE
Sure, it wasn't real. But the toddler-snatching eagle video that briefly went viral taught us all a valuable lesson about thinking before we share.Handout
/ YouTube

17 | HICKSTEAD THE HORSE
Hickstead, Eric Lamaze's famed steed and one of Canada's greatest competitive horses, passed away in November 2011, but he was admitted into the Jump Canada Hall of Fame in 2012.Archive
/ Calgary Herald

16 | CODY THE BLACK RETRIEVER
Cody was lost in the North Vancouver woods for six-and-a-half months before being found, safely captured, and returned to his owners by a husband-and-wife pet detective team.Les Bazso
/ PNG

15 | THE AMOROUS ELK
In 100 Mile, a loner elk finally overcame years of shyness and made a play for rancher Greg Messner's cows. He was relocated, but not before two months of romantic liaisons within the herd.

14 | SHADOW THE SEAL PUP
The baby seal pup, born prematurely, was found lying on the rocks off Haida Gwaii on June 1. After being nurtured back to health by the The Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Centre, he was released into the ocean after 13 weeks of care. Shadow was one of many seal pups rescued by the Centre.Handout
/ Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Centre

13 | BOSS THE GERMAN SHEPHERD
The adventurous pup was reportedly in hot pursuit of a raccoon when he slid down a 30- to 40-foot cliff on his owner’s property, straight into the Trincomali Channel. Amazingly, police found the dog uninjured despite the fall, resting on a narrow cliff just above sea level. But Boss's harrowing tale didn't end there. He only had a few more hours before the water level rose and he was washed out by the tide. Thankfully, the RCMP was able to retrieve him by boat just in time.Handout
/ RCMP

12 | MEMPHIS THE PIT BULL
During a walk in Gowlland Tod Provincial Park, Jeremy Scott and his two-year-old dog, Memphis, came face to face with a cougar. The cat attacked Memphis, but the dog stood between the cougar and his owner. Eventually, the cougar moved on and Memphis survived with only minor injuries.Wisconsin Department Of Natural Resources, AP Files
/ Associated Press

11 | ABANDONED SURREY KITTENS
After six kittens were found, abandoned, in a cooler along a roadside in Whalley, the SPCA managed to capture their owner and reunite the family. Several of the black kittens, just days old, still had umbilical cords attached and their eyes had not yet opened. The kittens were extremely dehydrated after being left in a light-grey cooler with the lid open and in direct sunlight, but by bringing them back to their mother, all were able to be nursed back to health.BC SPCA
/ Handout

10 | RUMBLE THE AMERICAN TERRIER
Rumble was shot twice and beaten by robbers while he was trying to protect the family home during a Burnaby, B.C., break-in. The dog received surgery and was hailed a hero.Jenelle Schneider
/ The Province

9 | CAR-HONKING DOG
In London, Ontario, several neglected dogs and cats were rescued from a parked truck -- where they had been abandoned for several days -- after one of the muzzled dogs somehow had foresight to honk the horn. The animals were taken in by the Humane Society.Dan Kitwood
/ Getty Images

8 | METROTOWN CAT MOM
The pregnant cat managed to avoid Vancouver's coyote population and safely deliver a litter of kittens by finding a way into a Metrotown construction site. The cat gave birth to three kittens and was safely rescued after mall security called the Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Association (VOKRA) because the new family kept triggering the site's security alarm at night.Contributed photo
/ BURNABY NOW

7 | TUXEDO STAN
How could we forget Tuxedo Stan, who ran for mayor of Halifax? He didn't win, but he sure gave everyone "paws". Ha! We are hilarious today.Screenshot
/ Global News

6 | ROOK THE POLICE DOG
In a big day for a rookie police dog from Vancouver Island, Rook protected his handler by fighting off THREE black bears at once, then immediately rushing to a call and helping to apprehend a suspect by tracking him through the woods for over a kilometre. Good day for a good dog.The Canadian Press, RCMP
/ The Canadian Press

5 | OZZY THE TOMCAT
Yes, that is a crossbow arrow in Ozzy's neck. Donna La Rose of Vancouver Island said her cat had been missing for several days before it walked into their backyard with the 40-centimetre arrow sticking out of his body. The good news: the cat miraculously survived the surgical removal of the arrow, which narrowly missed his shoulder and spine.Handout
/ Ozzy the cat returned home a couple days after being hit with an arrow.

4. CAPTAIN THE GERMAN SHEPHERD
Captain, a former police dog, was found near-death in a Kitsilano dumpster, and later passed away. The badly mistreated dog moved Canadians, who donated $70,000 to the investigation into his death. Captain's owner was charged with animal cruelty.Handout
/ Vancouver Sun

3. OHLY THE BERNESE MOUNTAIN DOG
Ohly got lost on Mount Seymour and spent 13 days stranded in an area known as Suicide Gully before being rescued.

2. MARTY THE HORSE
Fans of the Calgary Stampeders were joined by Canadians from coast to coast in urging a Toronto hotel to let Marty into the foyer ahead of the 100th Grey Cup.Ryan Remiorz
/ THE CANADIAN PRESS

1. DARWIN THE MONKEY
Darwin, a rhesus monkey that wandered into a Toronto ikea wearing a stylish shearling coat and a diaper, captured the hearts of people all over the world.x
/ Twitter

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